The present invention concerns a board handling apparatus for handling wood boards from a sawing device, and more particularly concerns a board handling apparatus constructed for automatic, semi-automatic, or manual stacking of boards, and also constructed for adjustment and for modular interconnection with other identical board handling apparatus.
Trusses made from wood require a plurality of different length boards. Further, the ends of the boards must be cut at angles to mateably butt against other boards in the truss. The boards are first cut to length with desired end cut angles and stacked on a pallet until such time as they can be arranged and connected together in an assembly operation. Sometimes, the volumes of trusses ordered are high enough such that it is most efficient to stack identical boards in the same stack. Thereafter, the boards are picked from various stacks as needed and arranged for interconnecting by the assembly operation. However, sometimes the volumes are not high enough to justify stacking identical boards in the same stack. Instead, it is more efficient to stack the boards in mixed stacks. In such case, a given stack or two contain substantially all of the boards needed for a particular type of truss. Various hybrid stacking arrangements are used depending upon the requirements and needs of particular truss-manufacturing facilities.
The sawing operation in a truss manufacturing facility is one of the busiest and most important parts of the truss manufacturing facility, and its efficiency can determine the profitability of the truss manufacturing facility. A particularly difficult and manual labor intensive job in the sawing operation is unloading cut boards and selectively stacking them on pallets for later arrangement/assembly. Most truss manufacturing facilities use an unloading operator or "catcher" to unload boards from the sawing operation. The unloading operator controls the board stacking, and repeatedly switches between different stacking techniques to provide the optimal stacked board bundles for optimal later arrangement/assembly. However, unloading operators often become fatigued and make mistakes. Further, unloading operators may handle several thousands of pounds of boards in a given day, such that they soon slow down and become less than optimally efficient. Also, the board handling operation requires bending and lifting, such that board unloading operators are subject to back aches and injuries if they are not careful.
Board handling apparatus are known which automatically stack boards from sawing operations into stacks/bundles. However, known board handling apparatus are usually custom designed to handle and stack boards that have a relatively consistent and predictable length. Known board handling apparatus cannot be easily adjusted on site to handle different length boards. Further, known board handling apparatus are bulky and/or are sufficiently massive such that they must be moved out of the way when they are not being used. For example, some board handling apparatus are mounted on tracks so that they can be moved out of the way when the board handling apparatus is not being used. However, it takes time to move the board handling apparatus, and also the apparatus may need to be moved several times during an unloading operator's shift, such that, even with tracks, the process is not efficient. Further, known board handling apparatus are not expandable or modular, but instead tend to be customized for particular situations. Still further, many board handling apparatus are overly complex and/or require constant maintenance.
Thus, a board handling apparatus is desired solving the aforementioned problems, and which is adjustable, expandable, durable, affordable, and mechanically non-complex, yet which permits manual and automatic handling of boards.